San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-12-29
CHAPTER xxx1u.-LovEDo NcE--LovED EVE

CHAPTER ANAlll.- ONED ONCE--LDNE ED EN- IL
Dallas, old fellow, welcomed it always
does one good to see your face"
So Max Beauregard spoke, rising from a
table in the library in Whitehall Gardens,
said table being covered with letters and
papers.
But are you not awfully busy, Beau"
asked Hal, as the hands of the two men
met in close clasp.
Busy enough; but it would be strange
If couldn't spare you half an hour or
more at any time. True friends are scarce,
you know! Sit dOwn-there's no hurryl'
Dallas seated himself, and Beauregard
resumed his place at the table.
"And how is Lady Elinor5" asked Dallas.
"Tolerably we'll" He knew that Lady
Elinor's grief was not deep-seated; but he
would not have said this even to Hal Dial.
las. "She is still at Abbot's Leigh, and as
soon as | can leave England am going to
take her abroad for two or three months"
"That will do her good" said Dallas. 81
called in Upper Brook Street yesterday, by
the way, and Mrs. Langley told me that
she and Miss Herbert are going abroad,
most likely until October or early in No
vember."
For so long?" said Beauregard, with a
touch of surprise in his tone.
"Only three or four months" replied
Dallas. "They don't leave until next
week"
81 didn't mean that, Hal" returned the
other, moving little so as to cast his face
in shadow; but the LawfOrd affair"
The Lawford AFFAIR." repeated Dallas,
staring; haven't you heard them
Heard WHAT" said Beauregard, quick
ly; then checked himself abruptly, and
added:
81 have been two days in town and have
seen no one except on business. What rs
there to know"
why" said Hal, looking down and
changing color little, that's all off.
Everyone in town knows it,.
Foraminute there was mist before Beau
regards eyes. The hideous thought those
words of Halls cOnjured upcOuld not crush
the passionate gladness that made his
heart throb so wildly. However freedom
had come about-whatever the motive that
had made Valerie snap the meshes that
surrounded her-still she was free. She
was not his, but she was no other mans.
But after that minute Beauregard had
mastered himself, and said, quietly:
at was Valerie who broke off the match,
of course? WhenY
well one doesn't like to believe such
things of any woman, Beau, especially
such bewitching creature as Miss Her
bert; but don't know: it looks awfully
black. Look here-yOu won't mind my
saying-in fact, it's what good many are
saying, naturally enough"
Go on" said Beauregard, little husk-
fly"
Its this, them" said Dallas, reluctant
ly, but bravely; he was beginning to fear
greatly what he had once or twice suspect
ed, that Max Beauregard's interest in Va
lerie was deeper than was consistent with
his own happiness. I'm tell you the
facts and you must draw your own con-
illusions"
"Stay," said the soldier "Who told you
the facts!"
Aston Lawford himself. The day your
brother was taken i'll Lawford wrote to
Miss Herbert asking her to be his wife.
She had the letter in the afternoon Mrs
Langley, who had been lunching and din
ing with some friends, called at the Law
ford's in the evening rather late, and they
told her-she had not known it before
about Gerald's illness She left them and
went straight home. About half-past ten
after Mrs Langley could have reached
home-a letter came to LawfOrd from Miss
Herbert, decidedly declining his offer. He
had hardly read the letter when he had
from the head butler here the news Of
Gerald's death, which, the writer said, had
arrived an hour previously, and which Mrs.
Langley and Miss Herbert must have
known before that refusal was written, or
at any rate sent; and Miss Herbert would
surely not have written and despatched
such a letter on her own responsibility.
Beauregard sat mOtiOnless; only the heaY.
ing Of his breast, and the locked sternness
Of his features told what he was enduring.